John Major

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

I'm one of those people who thinks John Major didn't do such a bad job at all. In fact, at the end of his period in government, the books were balanced and UK business was very competitive.

I'ld tend to agree. Met him once when I worked in NHS finance, got a handshake, politicians visiting hospitals thing.

[speling bee]

I'ld tend to agree. Met him once when I worked in NHS finance, got a handshake, politicians visiting hospitals thing.

I remember starting in NHS redesign projects shortly after Major left power. First project was on cataract pathway redesign. The waiting time was 1 year for outpatient appointment, then 2 years for 1st eye surgery, then another year for outpatient appointment for 2nd eye, then another 2 years for 2nd eye surgery.

[Robinho]

They were already corporatised. They were fooked well before privatisation, some time back in the 60s when the local lines that bring passengers to the trunk lines were shut down.

Basically they should never have been nationalised, so the decline of the train would have been more gradual.

[VectraMan]

WTS. But I think he was somewhat shafted by the rest of the Conservatives, who didn't respect him as a leader in the way they did with Thatcher. If he'd been a normally elected PM, as opposed to someone who took over after 11 years of Conservative rule, I think things would have worked out differently.

[DodgyAgent]

He took over from a completely reformed economy so it was not exactly the situation that Margaret Thatcher or David Cameron had to deal with.

[Doggy Styles]

WTS. But I think he was somewhat shafted by the rest of the Conservatives, who didn't respect him as a leader in the way they did with Thatcher. If he'd been a normally elected PM, as opposed to someone who took over after 11 years of Conservative rule, I think things would have worked out differently.

I'm not sure about that. a year or so after getting the PM job, he won a general election for the tories against all the odds.

I think his problem was his support for monetary union and the Maastricht treaty. Firstly there were many on all sides of parliament, especially from his own party, who vehemently disagreed with him, and secondly ERM was ultimately his, and it was a disaster.

[Doggy Styles]

He took over from a completely reformed economy so it was not exactly the situation that Margaret Thatcher or David Cameron had to deal with.

That is true, although see my post above.

[Mich the Tester]

Right, so John Major, in hindsight, wasn't such a bad guy, especially compared to the two dickheads who followed him. David Cameron won an election for the Tories (or at least got the the status of biggest party) after some dreadful Labour governments. John Major was weakened by bastards in his own party who wouldn't give him a chance, and I see the same thing happening to David Cameron; have some people in the conservative party still not learnt that the almost inevitable consequence of constantly digging at the PM is a Labour government?

[Robinho]

Cameron is alright. Problem is Labour have destroyed the country for the next 10 years at least, yet people will still vote for more pie.

[doomage]

I think the point is that Miliband is a fckwit.